Winfrey, who last week opened her Leadership Academy for Girls in Gauteng, has taken under her wing the Seven Fountains Primary School.

Originally a farm school, until the farmer kicked the children off his land, it has moved from one makeshift building to another.

But from later this year, pupils will be taking their lessons in facilities beyond their modest dreams for Winfrey is funding 22 classrooms, computer rooms, two halls, a tuck shop and an art room.

The project has been kept under wraps with the KwaZulu-Natal department of education reluctant to release information and spoil the impact as they want the donor to have a spectacular hand-over of the school.

Even the residents of the settlement where the school is being built were perplexed when told that Winfrey was involved.

Attempts to get information as to how much Oprah had forked out towards the construction of the school were futile.

A team of Winfrey's aides will be making their way to the province next week when details of the opening of the school, which will accommodate more than a 1 000 pupils (boys and girls), will be discussed.

Education department spokesperson Ntokozo Maphisa confirmed that Winfrey had donated an undisclosed, but large amount of money towards the construction of the school, that will serve pupils from the existing Seven Fountains Primary School.

The school's current classrooms were dwellings for farm workers before they were used as makeshift schools.

Construction of the new school, envisioned for the pupils by Oprah, began last year.

While details of the opening have not been divulged, builders who were doing final touch ups yesterday, said they had been told to work faster because the school would be opened this month.

Maphisa said once construction was over, Oprah would officially hand over the school to the department.

"It will be a glorious day for all the children of this province who will benefit from this great event," he said.

Although the school is not as "luxurious" as the one in Johannesburg, it will rank among the best equipped schools in the province.

Source: Realsouthafrica.co.za

More on Oprah:

US talk show host Oprah Winfrey on Saturday took an HIV test at an open day for families at the recently opened Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, the AP and Long Island Newsday reports.

Winfrey took the test to encourage students and their families to do the same and to encourage openness about HIV and Aids in the country, according to the AP and Newsday. Winfrey on Saturday also pledged to provide the 153 students with access to no-cost testing, counseling and treatment.

"To be a great leader you must be of sound mind, body and spirit," Winfrey said, adding, "Part of leadership is having the courage to demonstrate true action."

According to a statement from the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, Winfrey's test results, as well as those of the students, will be kept confidential. HIV tests are not mandatory for students, and results will not affect participation at the school, according to the AP and Newsday.

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